Technics EAH-AZ100 Review: Flagship Earbuds With Top-Tier Noise Cancelling

The EAH-AZ100 is Technics' new flagship true wireless earbud and the successor to the EAH-AZ80. On paper it is a meaningful upgrade rather than a light refresh. It gets new drivers, improved noise cancelling, longer battery life and a redesign that is smaller and lighter than before. It launched on January 7, 2025 at the same prices the AZ80 debuted at in 2023 (£259 / $299 / AU$499). That makes it a generational step forward without a generational price hike.

These are aimed at listeners who want premium wireless earbuds with a strong feature set. LDAC support will appeal to Android users with high-resolution libraries. Wireless charging, a passthrough mode and IPX4 water resistance cover the everyday conveniences. Commuters and frequent travellers should pay particular attention, because noise cancelling is where reviewers are most enthusiastic.

The standout is the active noise cancelling. Reviewers consistently call it excellent or top-notch, and that is the feature most likely to justify the premium price. Around it, the AZ100 ticks almost every flagship box:

• LDAC for higher-bitrate Bluetooth audio
• Dolby Atmos spatial audio with head tracking
• Wireless charging
• Passthrough mode
• IPX4 splash resistance

Keeping the AZ80's launch pricing while improving drivers, ANC, battery life and size makes this look like a strong-value upgrade within its class.

There are rough edges. The new Dolby Atmos and head-tracking settings are reportedly awkward to reach, which blunts the appeal of a headline feature. More practically, the Voice Focus AI call feature made a reviewer's voice sound robotic. That is a concern for anyone who takes a lot of calls on their earbuds.

One honest caveat: the information we have does not describe the AZ100's sound quality or real-world battery figures in any detail. Beyond the fact that the drivers are new and battery life is longer than the AZ80's, we can't judge how much better they sound or how long they last. Our rating rests mainly on the noise cancelling, the feature set and the pricing. Buyers who prioritise tuning should seek out dedicated listening impressions.

Overall, the EAH-AZ100 looks like a well-equipped flagship with class-leading noise cancelling, held back by some software and call-quality quirks rather than fundamental flaws.